Hi everyone, What we could do is to re-instate the system where only "Registered Users" with valid and confirmed emails (and logged IP addresses) can post.
From time-to-time, we do this -- for example, when Anonymoust posts or flaming start to get out of hand. It's not a perfect solution, but is another option for managing the process.
We'll start monitoring this and reserve the right to temporarily de-activate the Anonymous posting, and re-instate Registered user posting in this General Lounge area.
Well, since things started getting so blatantly and almost desperately commercial around here a lot of the positive discussions moved elsewhere, so what's left includes dissproprtionate number of gossip threads. It's not just the ease of quasi-anonymous posting (since everyone's logins got changed around it's the only way of posting worth the trouble) but also the tendancy for DS itself to introduce relatively gossip prone topics. Unfortunatley, I don't think it's possible to go back. A lot of the concerns if DS would be a stable and accessable place to discuss things that were raised during the time when DS was posting on rec.arts.dance to draw people here have in fact proved true.
Hi so it goes, DanceScape has always been a commercial-oriented site. That's how we pay the bills!
At the same time, we do try to give back to the Dance and other communities, which includes organizing events -- for example, our last Gala Evening of Dance raised approximately $10,000 for Children's Arts programs as well as performers. We regularly provide work to dancers, whether in commercials, photo shoots, performances, etc. We also try to dessiminate information from dance organizations such as USABDA, CADA, IDSF, WDO, etc.
We continue to thank new and previous members for recommendations and feedback through periodic surveys, and as always appreciate constructive feedback.
In terms of the Anonymous post feature, this is something that members had indicated that they would like to see reinstated, after a period of time when certain topics got out of hand. The periodic POLLs can be found in the POLL area, including ... ANNUAL SURVEY -- 2003/2004 DanceScape Services Feedback .... As always, we continue to welcome recommendations there, or emailed directly to info@dancescape.com.
We recognize that no community, company, club, or association is perfect, but we all can have a say in making a difference.
At any rate, thank you for dropping by and if you have positive discussions or new topics to add, please feel free to take the lead, as many members do.
I don't see anything really wrong with the current state of affairs, and anonymous posting does have an important role to play when dealing with some of the "can't talk about that" aspects of the dance industry.
I was more trying to explain, to those who are frustrated by the current tone, that it is perhaps the result of forum policies having become less suited for other types of discussions, so these constitute a large part of what's left.
Neither dancing nor talking about dancing is itself a commercial activity; not suprsingly a commercially oriented approach to either is not going to be the first choice for every purpose.
I think that reinstating required registration would be a bad idea at this point. There's barely any traffic here compared to the old days, and people are just starting to drift back. No one is being downright nasty yet -- the whole dust-up over Boston could really be attributed to different points of view and different priorities and different understandings.
Hi again, Thanks very much for the feedback and we'll continue to leave as is, but as always reserve the right to modify.
Just a quick note, there are always more people "lurking" than posting, as well as seasonal factors, such as Summer Holidays. You can always check who's online by going to the main pages -- the Private Messaging system is finally now working -- or looking at the "Views" for each thread to see that many do read other dancers' points of view/postings, but not necessarily participate actively in discussions.
At any rate, we continue to welcome feedback, and thanks to everyone for their patience as the bugs get worked out. The latest release has attempted to fix a lot of bugs that were outstanding, but the work continues!
Speaking of registering, is there a slightly better alternative to the one you have right now, Dancescape, for people who forget their passwords? I logon from my laptop which just got some much needed "maintenance" the other day: that means all my old cookies and temporary internet files are gone. That also means that my computer "forgot" all my passwords. I have no idea what my password is anymore because it isn't the one I thought I changed it to. When I click on the option to e-mail me my password, I was shown a question to which I should know the answer to. Now this question/answer thing was answered by me a long time ago, but since I don't write these things down, I'm kinda SOL.
I know I'm absent-minded (massive understatement) but other web-sites that require password are a lot more "idiot-friendly". Will I never be able to logon again?!
If not, can you email us directly at info@dancescape.com -- we're wondering if the registered email might be an old one so that you are not receiving the registration details from the system; another possibility is if your email has spam filtering - you would need to include our domains, dancescape.com and dancescape.TV to prevent blocking.
quote:Originally posted by Mandy: Quote Haha... the simple truth is that this studio *is* an independent, despite the name on the door. Confusion over that is at the core of most of the complaints here.
I don't know what this means! If you own a franchise, you are not an independent studio owner. Now, I think I've figured out who "fedup" is talking about.
Never having taken lessons with him I don't know his teaching style but I have seen some of his students dance at collegiate competitions. As far as I've seen, he has only one couple who, stand out as superior dancers on the level of young amateur couples in NY. I was truly awed until a teacher at my studio said this couple has been going to NY every weekend for lessons for well over a year.
I also watched a lady dance at Yankee in Pro-Am whom I know use to train with him. She was dancing with a teacher from NY and I assumed she had moved to NY. Again, I was told she still lives in Boston and also goes to NY for training. She was pretty impressive!
What I get from all this is, maybe this man can only bring his students so far and then they have to move on in order to get to the next level. This could be true for a lot of teachers in any area. Does anyone out there know the teachers (coaches) the couple and the lady I mentioned above train with in NY? Although I have a good teacher in Boston, I would love to at least try, to attain the quality I see in their dancing. If this is what they had to do to get better, then it might work for me as well.
Mandy, might want to ask "Also from Boston" why she still takes lessons with said teacher?
I have been a competitive dancer for over twelve years. All of my training has happened through the franchise studios. I have won many competitions over the years and have even danced as an ameatur. I have also had many teachers over the years and with each new teacher changes in my dance have taken place.
Maybe someone should let some of the newer dancers know that sometimes where you are placed at a competition is not based on how you dance but by who you are dancing with.
People talk about the so called teachers in New York....Yes there are a lot that have been up there in the world, but I also know each one of them is out to make money.....
The only person that needs to be happy with their dancing is the person themselves. I could say things like other out here about other teachers who they claim to be "saints" but they too have skeletons that most would find very interesting.....
